{"id":499,"date":"2025-02-22T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-22T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/?p=499"},"modified":"2025-03-19T21:34:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T21:34:19","slug":"my-life-was-saved-after-i-went-for-a-189-health-mot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/22\/my-life-was-saved-after-i-went-for-a-189-health-mot\/","title":{"rendered":"My life was saved after I went for a \u00a3189 health MOT"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\"Peter\t<\/div>
He explained that one of the main arteries in my heart was dangerously blocked, and could have failed at any moment (Picture: Peter Howells)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I\u2019ll never forget the moment my cardiologist looked at me, shook his head, and said: \u2018You were cutting it fine, Mr Howells.\u2019 <\/p>\n

I was sitting in his office, gripping the arms of the chair a little too tightly, as he explained that one of the main arteries in my heart was dangerously blocked, and could have failed at any moment. <\/p>\n

When I signed up for a health<\/a> assessment, I wasn\u2019t expecting much more than a reassuring nod from a doctor, and to be told to keep doing what I was doing.  <\/p>\n

I was 73, living a busy life as an artist in Cornwall<\/a>, and felt pretty healthy all things considered. I walked my dog every day, I\u2019d quit smoking<\/a> years ago, and hadn\u2019t experienced any major health issues.  <\/p>\n

But something nagged at me. A little voice in my head said, Just check, it can\u2019t hurt.<\/em> So, on instinct, I booked the test. <\/p>\n

I\u2019d seen Bluecrest\u2019s ads online for these full health MOTs, and since they weren\u2019t offering them through the NHS where I lived at that time, for \u00a3189 I thought it was worth the money.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Peter\t<\/div>
The first red flag came in the initial results (Picture: Peter Howells)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I went to a clinic just around the corner from me, had a few blood tests, a body composition scan, as well as testing things like blood pressure, and heart rhythm. The process was easy, and I was told I\u2019d have my results within a week \u2013 so to be honest, I didn\u2019t think much more about it after I left the room.  <\/p>\n

What happened next changed everything.  <\/p>\n

The first red flag came in the initial results: an irregularity in my heart<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t something I had ever worried about before \u2013 I\u2019d never had chest pains, never felt faint. That\u2019s what was so scary about it all. <\/p>\n

I took the report to my GP, who immediately referred me to a cardiologist and everything happened quickly after that. A series of tests followed, each one seemed more urgent than the next, and finally, an angiogram confirmed I had a serious blockage in one of my main arteries.  <\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Peter\t<\/div>
I was at high risk of a heart attack (Picture: Peter Howells)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The cardiologist was very clear with me. Without intervention, I was at high risk of a heart attack<\/a>.  <\/p>\n

I sat there, stunned. I\u2019d gone into this process expecting a routine check-up and was now facing the reality that my heart was apparently a ticking time bomb.  <\/p>\n

I underwent an angiogram \u2013 where a dye was injected into my arteries to highlight the blockage \u2013 and there was no debating the result. <\/p>\n

It was clear to see most of the blood vessels filled smoothly with the dye, with an obvious gap where the blockage was. Seeing it for myself really drove home the seriousness of the situation.  <\/strong><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Peter\t<\/div>
I\u2019d just overcome one issue, to be hit with another felt insurmountable (Picture: Peter Howells)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A stent was fitted immediately to restore my blood flow, and though it was uncomfortable and sore for a little while afterwards, it was nothing compared to the likely alternative outcome. <\/p>\n

I thought I was in the clear at this point. It was an ordeal, but something I could move past and continue what I thought was a healthy life. <\/p>\n

As I got my strength back over the next few weeks, I felt grateful that this had been picked up early and was seemingly in the past. But my health journey didn\u2019t stop there. <\/p>\n

A follow-up CT <\/strong>scan a few weeks later revealed new abnormalities in my lungs. After further tests, I was diagnosed with emphysema<\/a>, a chronic lung condition. <\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tWhat are the symptoms of emphysema?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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It’s typical symptoms go unnoticed and begins to show gradually. The symptoms include:<\/p>\n